


Bullseye

by scifishipper



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-09
Updated: 2012-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-29 06:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/316990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scifishipper/pseuds/scifishipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lee takes a summer job on Tauron, he never expects it to change his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bullseye

Lee wiped the long wooden bar with a clean rag, scrubbing the corner to remove the sticky remnants of a drink. He stretched his back, easing the ache of standing for most of the morning doing inventory and moving crates of beer and alcohol from one side of the cellar to the other. When he accepted this job at the Bullseye, he’d never expected to be running the place. Frankly, it was the money that had changed his mind.

Rinsing the rag and hanging it behind the bar, Lee breathed a satisfied smile and surveyed the rpom, a tiny back-hole spot in an old part of Minos, Tauron, its beamed ceilings yellowed from years of tobacco smoke. Dark wooden booths line one side of the bar, each emblazoned with a brass bull’s head, the horns used for coats and jackets. He’d cleaned twenty-five years of grime off of those heads and now they shone. He snorted a laugh; the place was cleaner than it had probably been since opening day.

Pulling out a shorty glass, he poured himself a shot and marked his tab. Another month of this place and he’d have enough money to make it through the last law school term without needing to take a job. He was about to take a sip of the pale green liquid when the door swung wide open, the bright light of the street obscuring the patron until it closed. Lee moved his drink below the bar and began to polish glasses with a towel, a nervous habit he’d developed to keep himself occupied.

Glancing up, he saw her, short windblown hair, high cheekbones, curvy build. She’d be pretty if she didn’t have such a surly expression on her face. He looked away, staring down at the towel and glass in his hands.

Moving onto a leather stool at the bar, she ordered without preamble, “Tauron whiskey. Make it a double.” Lee blinked, surprised to hear Caprican after so many weeks speaking Tauronese.

She spun on the seat, staring back at the door and then digging into her bag to pull out cigars. “You mind?” she asked and Lee shook his head, taking in her golden-green eyes and full lips. Very pretty.

She lit the cigar as Lee neatly poured the shot and replaced the bottle into the well. With a loud exhale, he noticed her expression easing with the first drag of the sweet smelling smoke.

“Thanks,” she said, tipping her glass towards him before shooting it back in one gulp. With a small shudder, she grinned. “I am hopelessly lost. Where in the hell am I?”

He smiled a little. “Heliki district. I take it you’ve never been to Minos before?”

“Minos? Hell, I’ve never even been to Tauron before.” She took another puff on her cigar, finally looking around. “This your place?” She said, expression unreadable.

“No, just bartending.” He stepped back, pulling another glass from above his head to clean away imaginary smudges.

The woman’s cell rang and she dug into her bag, pulling out an old style model and stabbed a key to answer. “Took you long enough. I left you five frakking messages.” Lee’s eyes blinked wide and he moved to the opposite end of the bar, trying not to listen.

“Where are you?” she accused the caller.

“What? You’re kidding me. You frakking left me on this shithole of a planet. How the frak am I supposed to get back to Delphi? … That’s not my problem, asshole, you don’t own me. … Frak you.” She slammed the phone on the bar and stubbed out her cigar in an ashtray. Digging into her pocket, she threw down too many cubits and turned, dialing her phone as she walked towards the door.

“Helo? It’s Kara. You’re not gonna frakking believe this…” were the last words he heard before the door slammed behind her. Lee blinked and shook his head, feeling like a tornado had just whipped through the bar.

Beautiful woman, but a hell of a temper.

:: :: ::

The next morning, Lee was back at the bar, deep into discussion with the its owner, Gavin, his former roommate back on Caprica.

“Sera didn’t show up for her shift, Gavin. That’s the third shift in a row that she’s missed. What was I supposed to do? I haven’t had a day off in eight days…” Lee’s tone was short, his face irritated. Two patrons at a far table turned their heads and Lee took a calming breath.

Gavin sat on a stool on the other side of the bar, fingers curled around a beer. “Sera’s like family, Lee. Firing her might be a problem.”

Leaning forward, Lee spoke more quietly. “Look, if I can’t find someone else in the next few days, I’ll hire her back. But I need a break. I can’t work every day for the next two months.”

Gavin shook his head and sighed. “All right. Just don’t be surprised if one of her uncles comes in and wants answers. And I’ll talk to her. See if I can get her a different job.” He tipped the beer back and drank.

Pulling a paper and marker from beneath the cash register, Lee made a small sign. “I’ll hang this in the window. Might get lucky.”

Luck, it turned out, was a blond with a temper and an immediate need for cash.

:: :: ::

Kara’s first night was the worst. The place was packed, more than forty people celebrating the Bulls’ most recent win against the C-Bucs. The noise alone was enough to make her head hurt, but it was the awkwardness of Tauronese on her tongue that really gave her a headache. She thanked the gods that the languages were similar enough that she could muddle through. When she couldn’t, a grin and a wink went damn far.

“How many more days do I have to work until I make three hundred fifty cubits?” Kara shouted to Lee, rolling her eyes and wiping her hands on her apron. She pulled her own beers and dropped them foaming onto her tray.

Kara’s hair fell into her face, sticking slightly to the sides of her forehead in the heat of the room. She touched her head to her sleeve to wipe the sweat away and waited for Lee to fill the rest of the order.  
Mentally calculating, she tapped her fingers onto the bar, “Two frakking weeks of this. I thought this place was a dive and look at it—packed. Tips better be worth the sweat.”

Unaffected by her complaining, he grinned back at her. “Don’t get used to it. It’s dead unless the Bulls are playing and you’ve got another week until the next game. Get your tips while you can.”

Blowing hair out of her eyes, she heaved her now-full tray off the bar and shoved her way through the crowd to deliver her orders. “Make a hole,” she announced, hoisting the tray over her head to avoid spilling. The crowd parted, more than one appreciative stare coming her way. Swallowing a groan, she grinned and flirted back. _Work it, Thrace, you need the cash._

:: :: ::

“For frak’s sake, Lee, it’s about time you got here. This place is dead!” Kara caught Lee as soon as he swung the door open to start his late night shift.

He blinked and laughed a little, peeling of his jacket as he slid behind the bar. “Hello to you, too… Figured it would be dead today. Day after the game always is.”

“Damn good thing that I made a killing last night because if this was it, I’d be stuck on Tauron until I was old and gray.” Kara stood and stretched, Lee’s eyes lingering on her breasts as they jutted forward.

“So, last night was good?” He asked as he washed his hands, forcing his eyes back where they belonged.

“Yeah. About forty in tips. Not bad considering how many orders I frakked up.” She laughed and walked towards the bar, her eyes sparkling.

Lee chuckled, drying his hands. “You did good last night. Patrons seemed to like you.” He threw the towel on the bar, his eyes lighting on something strange.

“You were drinking Fal’a’na? Bottle is half empty.” He held up the triangular bottle and frowned.

“Yeah, a couple of shots. Something to relieve the boredom of waiting for you to show up.” She leaned on the bar, peering at the glass container.

“Kara, it’s eight cubits a glass.” There was no way this was going to go well. He tensed.

“Really? Why?”

“Because it’s old and rare and you drank a ton of it.”

“Sorry.” She said, shrugging and pulling a cigar out of her bag.

“I don’t think you get it, Kara,” he said, frowning and replacing the bottle on the shelf with a thud. “Gavin should have told you about this, but you’ve got to pay for what you drink. If you don’t pay for it, I’ll have to. I have to keep a tally of everything, including what we drink.”

She stared at him, uncomprehending until a scowl drew her brow down. “So, you’re gonna charge me thirty-two cubits for having a couple of drinks?”

Lee flattened out his lips. “Did you drink anything last night?” He pulled out a slip of paper and wrote her name on it.

Kara crossed her arms over her chest, eyes defiant. “Two beers.”

Lee didn’t answer, just jotted down half of what she drank and slid the paper under the register. “I put it on your tab and I’ll deduct it from your pay at the end of the week.”

If she hadn’t had such a sour attitude, he’d have probably let it slide. “And have the Volos next time. Tastes about the same, but it’s a hell of a lot cheaper.”

Kara glowered at him and then stepped back. “Frak that, Lee. I’m outta here.” She untied her apron, threw it on the bar and left.

He watched her storm out of the bar and sighed. Blond with a temper. He should have known better.

:: :: ::

Lee was surprised when Kara came back for her shift the next day. She never said anything about the drinks or the tab, and she was pleasant enough, but there was an edge between them that he hated. Felt like being stuck between his arguing parents.

At the end of the week, Lee slid a pile of cubits her way. “Your earnings.” He snapped the register drawer closed and wiped the bar’s surface again.

Kara glanced at him and took the cash, counting it before looking back at Lee. “What the hell, Lee? This isn’t right.” She fanned out the money towards him. “You didn’t deduct my drinks from the other day.”

“Forget it,” he said, smiling a little. “I made too much out of it. It’s not a big deal.”

“No, Lee. I frakked up and I should pay for it.” She pulled a few cubits from her hand and tossed them onto the bar.

Lee turned away, busying himself with the register. “Keep the money, Kara, you need it more than I do.”

“Well, I don’t need your charity, Lee. I’ll earn my pay.” She pushed the money at him and shoved the rest into her pocket.

He walked towards her and pushed the money back. “It’s not charity. It’s a choice. Take what you earned.”

Their eyes locked, hers defiant and flickering dark gold in the dim light until her face softened and she reached to pull the money towards her. “Thanks, Lee.”

“No problem, Kara.” He gave her a warm smile, the anxiety in his chest finally loosening after the tension of the past few days.

Kara put the rest of the cubits into her pocket and spoke, “Let me say thanks for real. How about I buy you a drink after you close up?”

His eyes widened briefly and his smile deepened. “I’d like that, but can we do it somewhere else? I get sick of this place.”

Kara grinned in return and like that, all the tension was gone. “Good idea.”

:: :: ::

“Okay,” Lee said, swirling the liquid in his glass, his words slightly slurred. “You have to tell me how you ended up stranded on Tauron.”

“Oh gods!” She laughed loud, the sound making Lee grin. “What an asshole. His name was Thanos. I met him a few months ago and we’d been dating. I mean he was nice, a little boring, but nice and we had a ton of fun. About a month ago, thought, he starts getting weird, possessive and jealous and we break up. No big deal, right?”

The waiter brought Kara’s next drink and she took a sip before continuing, her eyes sparkling with humor and Lee was transfixed. “Well, three days later, he showed at my door, apologizing and acting all sweet, begging me to go on a trip with him. He said he’d pay and I thought what the hell. I didn’t have anything else going on.”

“So what happened?” Lee was hanging on every word, his eyes drifting to her lips and breasts, leaning gradually closer and drowning his cautions with whiskey.

“Dancing. We went dancing.” She shook her head and took a long drink. “The short story is that he got jealous, we had a screaming fight in the street and we split. Problem is that I was almost broke. Had about thirty cubits, no cards, and a hotel room with one more night on it. I sweet-talked the manager the next day and he let me stay an extra night because he felt sorry for me.” Kara laughed, as if outraged by her own scheming.

Lee laughed and then sobered a bit when Kara’s eyes got intense. “And then you gave me a job and here we are.”

Their eyes lingered, pulled together by attraction and whiskey and circumstance. “Yeah. Here we are.”

Kara tilted her head, appraising him, and then took a breath. “What about you, Lee? How’d you end up at the bar?”

Lee pulled back and sighed. “Debt. I’m in law school and it’s expensive. I have a military scholarship, but it doesn’t pay everything if you don’t want to go on active duty. I want to stay in the reserves, so I have to pay some part of the tuition myself. Gavin used to go to law school with me, but his father died and he inherited the family business – the bar.” He grinned and clinked his glass against hers.

“Ah…of course. I didn’t think you were Tauron. You don’t have the Tauron accent when you speak Caprican. And don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t exactly fit into the bar crowd we get.”

Lee gave a wry smile. “No, guess not. My grandfather was Tauron, though, and he’s the one who taught me the language. He was a lawyer, too.” Lee snorted. “Not a popular one, but damn good at his job.”

He glanced at Kara who was staring at him with a strange expression. “What?”

“You’re not what I expected, Lee Adama.”

“Why? What did you expect?”

“Nothing. You’re just more fun than I thought you’d be.” She gave him a wink and he elbowed her.

“Thanks, Thrace. For that, you’re buying the next round.” He waved the waiter over and ordered another two shots.

:: :: ::

An hour later Lee was sick. Kara managed to get them into a taxi back to the Bullseye and just into the door when he ran to the bathroom to vomit.

A few minutes later, she knocked. “You okay in there?”

He emerged, his face deathly pale. “Not really.” He wavered and held onto a chair. “I need to go to bed.”

Lee headed towards the back stairs, and Kara tucked herself under his arm. “Oh frak. Come on, Lee” she said and with effort, half steadied him until they arrived at his door.

“Keys…” he slurred, fishing them out of his pocket and immediately dropping them. Kara groaned and leaned Lee up against the wall before she bent to pick them up.

“You have a nice ass, Kara Thrace.”

Kara stood, turning as she shook her head. “My gods, Lee. You are so drunk. And I am so going to remind you that you said that tomorrow.” She unlocked the door and pulled Lee inside.

Lee wavered towards the bed and collapsed onto it, his legs hanging over the edge. “Sorry, Kara. I ruined our fun night, Kara.”

“Don’t worry about it, Lee.” With an annoyed grunt, she pulled his boots off and tossed them into the corner. She managed to get him fully onto the bed before she slumped onto the padded bench against the far wall, her own drunkenness making her head spin. Leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes. _Just for a minute..._

Sometime later, she woke, head slumped down against her chest. Rubbing her aching neck, she eyed Lee sleeping on the narrow bed. Half-asleep, she climbed into the bed next to him, and buried her face into his pillow. She let out a long contented sigh and fell promptly asleep.

:: :: ::

The next morning, Kara woke to brightness and blinked her eyes open. Sunshine streamed into Lee’s room and she squinted, rubbing her face before she moved. Lee’s arm was draped over her waist and she glanced back at his still sleeping face. For once, she let her eyes just linger, grazing over the slope of his cheekbones, his brow free of that wrinkle she’d noticed when he got nervous or worried, across his lips…and resisted reaching out. With a breath, she eased off the bed. She was leaving in two weeks.

Kara yawned and glanced at the clock. Frak! Lee was supposed to be on shift and opening the bar an hour ago.

She shook his shoulder. “Lee. Lee… the bar, you have to open.” He didn’t budge. “Come the frak on, Lee.” She shoved at him and he groaned, burying his face into the pillow. Shit.

She stood and grumbled at him as he slept. Taking her sweet time, she went to the bathroom, washed her face and took the steps down the stairs into the still-dark bar. She flicked the lights on and unlocked the door.

With an irritated sigh, she signed into the register, filled the sink and prepared the bar for customers. Her head throbbed and she dug into her bag for two pain relievers. One beer and half an hour later and she was pretty sure she wouldn’t kill the first customer to walk through the door – at least not from her headache.

Rubbing at her face, she let out a long breath and began to pace. Time ticked slowly by, her irritation rising as it did.

When the door opened an hour later, she took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face. A small brunette, not more than twenty years old, walked in, sashaying as if she owned the place. “Where’s Lee?” she asked, tapping on the bar.

Kara’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s asking?”

“Sera.” She looked Kara up and down. “I guess you’re the new one,” she snorted.

Kara’s fists clenched behind the bar. “The new what?”

“The new girl. You won’t be here long, I’m sure. One mistake and Lee will fire you. That’s what he did to me.”

“Then why are you here?”

“He owes me money. Tried to stiff me on my final pay.”

Kara blinked. “Are we talking about the same Lee Adama?”

The girl just stared at her and Kara figured out that maybe she wasn’t too bright.

Kara leaned towards her. “I’ll tell him you came by. He’s still in bed.” Her voice deepened with the suggestion that she was more than just the “new girl.”

The young woman blinked, her painted-on eyebrows rising and then dropping in irritation. “Don’t bother. I’ll send my uncle for the money. Nice meeting you. Not.” With that, she spun on her heel and flounced out of the bar, her ponytail bobbing behind her.

Kara stared after her until the door slammed shut. With a shake of her head, Kara laughed.

“Hey, what’s so funny?” Lee came through the door and looked around.

“You had a visitor,” Kara said, a smirk on her face.

“Really? Who?” He took a glass down from the rack and turned on the faucet.

“Some brat calling herself Sera? Sound familiar?”

That wrinkle returned to his forehead. “I wondered when she’d show up. I knew sooner or later she’d want her money. Or her job back.” He filled the glass with water and drank it all in one giant gulp, breathing deeply as he set the glass onto the bar.

“How are you feeling this morning…er…this afternoon, Lee?”

“Like crap. Thanks for opening for me, Kara. And for dealing with Sera. And for still talking to me after last night.” She watched a deep red blush rise into his face and she laughed, her irritation with him vanishing.

“Well, you were entertaining,” she said, enjoying watching him squirm.

“I’m sure I was,” he grinned despite the blush.

With an tired sigh, she grabbed her bag. “I’m going to go home, Lee. I’m exhausted and hungry. I’ll see you tomorrow?” She was certain that his face fell a little, but she brushed it off. “Don't work too hard, okay.”

He smiled anyway, “Okay. See you tomorrow and thanks again.”

Kara winked at him and strode towards the door before she paused and half-turned. When he looked up, she smirked. “And for the record, you have a nice ass, too, Lee Adama.”

His mouth dropped open and she laughed all the way out the door.

:: :: ::

“No! No way, Lee. You totally cheated.” Kara doubled over with laughter.

“I so did not. You don’t seem to understand the trick, Kara. Here do it again.” He slid the cups around the top of the bar, his hands moving fast until he the cups came to rest in a neat row. “Which one is it?”

“That one, Lee. It has to be that one. I know it.” She pointed to a cup and he tipped it up. It was empty.

Kara reached across the bar and tipped the other two. “They’re all empty, Lee. You are such a cheat!”

Finally, he relented and opened his hand to her, revealing the small white stone that he’d palmed at the beginning of the trick. He grinned and stacked the cups. “Law wasn’t the only thing my grandfather was good at.”

“I think I would have liked your grandfather, Lee,” Kara said, easing back against the wall at the end of the bar where they were entertaining themselves.

“He was a pretty tough man, had a lot of heartbreak in his life, but he was also a good guy. I really miss him.”

When the phone buzzed, Kara watched Lee move to the other end of the bar to answer it. She was only fifty cubits shy of shuttle fare and with a Bulls game tomorrow night, she knew she’d be leaving soon. Swallowing, she realized that none of what she was feeling was any good and the thought of leaving Tauron had suddenly become something she wasn’t looking forward to like she thought she would.

Hanging up the phone, Lee spun around. “That was Gavin. He’s coming by at the end of the week, says he has something to talk to me about.” Lee shrugged. “Where were we?” He leaned on the bar, his eyes intense, their hands close enough to touch.

“You were telling me how you learned to cheat…”

:: :: ::

Kara was never more sorry to see a pile of cubits than she was when she counted out her cash at the end of the next night. “Sixty big ones, Lee.”

He glanced at her as he washed the last of the glasses, his face unreadable. “That’s great. Should give you enough, right?”

She nodded and smiled brightly, pretending that she was happier than she felt as she tucked the cubits into her bag. “I’ll call the shuttle service in the morning. Should be able to get something in a day or two.”

With a thickness in her chest, Kara turned away and walked around the bar, pushing the chairs aside to sweep and mop.

Half an hour later they were done and Kara stood awkwardly at the end of the bar waiting for Lee to finish ringing out the register. “You think Sera will take her shift back, Lee? You know, after I’m gone?”

Lee shook his head. “No, she moved out of Minos to live with her grandmother in Hypatia. Guess she was causing her uncles a lot of trouble.”

Kara’s brow wrinkled. “Who are these uncles, Lee? I keep hearing that word and I can’t believe everyone is related.”

“It’s an affectionate term for a protector, Kara. Part of the Tauron family ways. Young men and women in certain families get “uncles” who protect them. Sometimes they’re bullies, but usually the uncles are supposed to guide them to adulthood. Sera’s uncles decided that she was getting into too much trouble and so they sent her away.”

“Did you have an uncle growing up? You said your grandfather was Tauron.”

“No, my grandfather didn’t believe in it, so he broke tradition with my father and raised him without one. When my dad moved to Caprica, he didn’t keep any Tauron traditions either.”

Lee wiped his hands on a towel and breathed a sigh. “I guess that’s about it. We’re all done.”

Moving past Kara, he flicked off most of the lights. “Think you’ll stop by before you leave? You know, to say goodbye?” In the dim light, she couldn’t make out his expression.

She shuffled on her feet. “Yeah. I can do that.”

“Well, if you have time.”

“Yeah…”

He waited for a long moment before he spoke, “I’ll lock up after you leave.”

“Okay.” She took a few steps back. “I’ll stop by tomorrow.” With the briefest of hesitations, she turned and walked towards the door, her fingers tight on the strap of her bag.

She flipped the lock on the door and pushed it open, wishing desperately that he’d call her back. When he didn’t she pulled the door closed and kept walking.

:: :: ::

“What are you talking about? I can’t stay, Gavin. I have to get back to school next month. You know that.” Lee’s eyes were wide.

“Lee, you’re the only one I trust. It’s not forever, but I can’t stand being on Tauron and I _have_ to find someone to run this place. Eighty percent, Lee. That’s a lot of money. My uncles are a nightmare and all they do is ride my ass about family and the code and all that crap you know I hate. They don’t want me in law school and definitely not on Caprica. If you don’t help me, I’m going to be stuck here.”

“Well, I don’t want to be stuck here, either. This is a summer job for me. I have one year left and I’m set up for a job with Judge Niklos at the end of it all. It’s a great opportunity…I can’t just throw it away. I’ve already accepted—if I finish.”

“Frak. I knew it was a long shot.” Gavin paced. “What the frak am I going to do?”

Lee frowned and clapped his buddy’s shoulder. “We’ll think of something.”

:: :: ::

Kara packed up her meager belongings, stuffing them into the suitcase she’d brought for her trip with Thanos. _Asshole._ Her shuttle ticket was purchased, the departure time in less than twelve hours. Now, she thought, not nearly enough time.

With a clink, she left the key to her rented room on the dresser, surveying the sparse furnishings and feeling a weird sense of loss. A fun-filled trip of sex and sightseeing, nearly ruined by that jerk, had turned into something unexpected. In her mind, images of her time with Lee flashed, and she shook her head hard. She had things to do on Delphi. Lee was going back to law school. Just leave, Kara.

Pulling her rolling bag towards the train, she felt the dull ache of leaving. She had no idea how she’d ever find him if she wanted to. Might never have enough cash to get back to Tauron. Frak.

_Maybe you’ll stop and say goodbye…_

With her heart pounding in her ears, she abruptly turned and headed towards the Bullseye.

:: :: ::

As he cleaned up the remnants of a wedding party, his eyes glanced once more at the door, willing it to reveal Kara’s mop of blond hair. Time and time again his eyes were drawn there until he began to believe she wouldn’t come to say goodbye.

With the final remnants of the party swept into the bin, he heaved a sigh, ready to close the bar for the afternoon break. When the door swung open, he was ready to announce that the bar was closing when he saw that it was Kara.

“Hey,” he said, taking in her rolling suitcase and swallowing hard.

“Hey,” she said and rolled her things towards a barstool. “Came by to say goodbye.”

“Yeah…” His eyes lingered on her face, memorizing it. “All ready to go?”

“Yup. Shuttle leaves late tonight. The redeye was the cheapest.” Kara dropped her bag on the stool and sat next to it, breathing through the awkward silence. Shouldn’t be this hard to just say ‘see ya.’

“You want one for the road?” he asked, lifting the bottle of Fal’a’na and smiling. “On me this time.”

She laughed. “It was on you last time, too, Lee, but sure.”

He smiled and poured them each a shot. Raising his glass, he offered a toast, “To bright and shiny futures, Kara. Good luck.” He tried to keep the sadness out of his voice. He really did want her to have a great life.

“To bright and shiny futures, Lee.” She tapped her glass against his and drank, sipping this time instead of draining her glass like she might have. Their eyes lingered for a moment before dropping.

Kara took a deep, clearing breath. “So, what are you gonna do, Lee? Back to Caprica in a couple of weeks?”

“Yeah,” he said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “That’s the plan.”

Kara nodded and he asked, “What about you?”

“Gotta look for a job. I was only supposed to be gone from my job for a few days. Got fired about two weeks ago when I didn’t show up.”

Lee’s eye brows rose high into his forehead. “Fired. Why didn’t you say something?”

Kara shrugged again, keeping things light. “Didn’t think of it.” She took another sip and looked around the bar. “Gonna miss this old place,” she said, voice wistful.

“Yeah,” Lee said and she swung her eyes back. Other words lingered on his lips, but didn’t go past. Instead he swallowed them, chest aching as he watched her drain the last of her drink.

She slid off the stool and Lee’s heart began to race. “I should go.”

Lee moved from behind the bar. “It was nice to meet you, Kara Thrace,” he said, extending his hand.

She gave him a long look. “Frak that, Lee.”

Kara darted forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. He froze for a moment, surprised, but when she started to break the kiss, he pulled her closer, leaning in to slide his lips against hers. He felt her smile against his mouth and her hands threaded around his neck as she aligned her body to his.

Desire washed over him. Weeks of watching and staying away had pushed him to a place of raw need. His tongue pushed at the seam of her lips, and she opened, tasting of sweet alcohol. Her tongue darted out, flicking at his, teasing and tasting and he gripped her harder, pressing their hips together. _Gods, he wanted her._ She pressed her breasts against his chest, fingers grazing the back of his neck, his hair, his face.

His fingers found the flesh under her shirt, palms flattening against her smooth skin, gripping her sides as she deepened the intensity of their kiss. Her mouth worked furiously now, small sighs escaping her lips as their mouths surged together and then apart.

“Kara, you’re leaving,” he said breathlessly. He wanted this so much, but it made everything harder.

“I know. Gods, I know.” She kissed him again, mindless or not caring or something he couldn’t fathom.

His body was flooded with burning need, but he pulled back anyway. “I can’t do this. Not now. I—”

Kara sighed and stepped back, her lips and chin red from his kisses. “Okay,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

He stepped forward, “No, not that. I mean, I can. I just… I kept thinking it would be better if nothing happened because you were—gods, Kara, I don’t want you to leave.” He put his cards on the table and waited. He had nothing to lose now.

“I have a ticket, Lee. I have to go back.”

He sighed heavily and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I know, you’re right. You have a whole other life.”

“It’s not that, Lee. I don’t have anything there, really, just stuff. A few friends.”

For the first time, some hope sparked inside him.

She continued, “It’s just that I’ve done so much stupid shit in my life. I just wanted to get on track, stop screwing up. I had a good job and I lost it. And this job, well the pay sucks and I can’t.”

He nodded sadly, twisting his fingers into hers, and then he froze, an idea springing to mind.

A slow smile spread across his face. “What if you had a better job, Kara? Could you stay? Just for a little while longer to see if this works between us?”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening…”

“Remember when I said Gavin was coming by the bar to discuss something with me?” Kara nodded. “Well, he offered me the bar, Kara. Eighty percent of profits. It might seem dead, but on game nights, we make a killing. But I told him that I couldn’t. I have a job lined up after I pass the law exams. A really good job and I can’t skip out, even if the money’s good.”

Kara tilted her head towards him. “And…”

“Well what if you run the bar, Kara? Gavin trusts my judgment and I think you’d be great. I’ve seen you and you are already half doing it.” He smiled hopefully, ignoring the dozen holes in his plan.

Kara looked wary. “I don’t know, Lee. You’re leaving in a month and I’ll be stuck here.”

“I won’t leave you stranded, Kara. We’ll figure out a plan. I just… I don’t know what else to do.”

“What kind of plan, Lee. I already got stranded here by a guy once. I’m not excited to do it again.”

Lee grasped her shoulders. “I wouldn’t do that, Kara. What if we do it on a trial basis? Tell Gavin that you’re testing it out and if things with us or the bar don’t work out, then you have a pile of cash, and Caprica and your other life will still be there.”

Kara eyed him suspiciously. “I can see why you’re in law school, Mr. Adama. You make a very convincing argument.”

Lee blanched and stepped back. “I didn’t mean it like that…”

“I know, Lee, it’s just a lot to take in. And at the last minute. Why didn’t you say something a week ago?”

“Didn’t know you would even think about it, Kara. We just met.” It was the truth, even if it didn’t help his case.

She tapped a finger against her lips, eyes roaming his face as if she were searching for the risk. “A month? Just to try it out, right?”

He nodded, his breath held until she stepped forward and looked up at him.

“And the other thing, not the job, do I get to try that out, too?” Kara trailed a finger down his chest, knuckles sliding along the seam of his jeans.

With a heady smile, pulled her against him. “You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Thrace.”

The corner of her mouth rose, her face brightening. “Yes, and one more small point, counselor. If I do accept this ‘trial run’ does that mean I get to be your boss?”

He chuckled at the devious glint in her eyes and nuzzled her neck, lips grazing her ear as he answered.

“Definitely.”


End file.
